Bridgestone to modernize OTR tire plant in Japan

The Bridgestone Corporation has announced that it will invest 25 billion yen (170 million dollars) in upgrading equipment at its tire plant for the mining and construction industries in Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan). The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027, and it is noted that the new investments will help strengthen the company's position in the OTR tire market.

"The new strategic investments will not only ensure high-quality products and stable supplies, but also further enhance the level of safety at the facility, including in the event of natural disasters, and improve the environmental friendliness and efficiency of production," Bridgestone emphasized.

The Kitakyushu plant produces, among other things, tires from the Bridgestone Mastercore family, and the products are supplied to customers around the world. The investments will be directed only at upgrading existing equipment, and the plant's capacity will remain at the current level.

Mastercore is Bridgestone's flagship line in the OTR segment, and the company claims that it includes "super-durable" tires, whose reliability is ensured through the use of a number of innovative technologies, such as the use of in-house produced metal cord. The release of Mastercore tires was announced in August 2022, and they are now operated in about 100 mines around the world, and, as the manufacturer notes, have received high praise from many mining companies.

In July 2023, Bridgestone also launched a new digital service that allows optimizing the maintenance schedule and routes of equipment by predicting tire life using artificial intelligence. The service was first launched at a copper mine in Chile, operated by BHP Group Limited & Plc.

The Kitakyushu plant was launched in June 2009. The plant's staff consists of 575 employees, and its capacity is 170 tons of products per day (as of December 31, 2023, and January 1, 2024, respectively).